Hotel Manager job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$69,250

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Lodging Managers (O*NET-SOC 11-9081.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel policies and services, and resolve occupants' complaints. importance 4.5 of 5
2. Participate in financial activities, such as the setting of room rates, the establishment of budgets, and the allocation of funds to departments. importance 4.5 of 5
3. Confer and cooperate with other managers to ensure coordination of hotel activities. importance 4.5 of 5
4. Greet and register guests. importance 4.5 of 5
5. Monitor the revenue activity of the hotel or facility. importance 4.5 of 5
6. Manage and maintain temporary or permanent lodging facilities. importance 4.4 of 5
7. Observe and monitor staff performance to ensure efficient operations and adherence to facility's policies and procedures. importance 4.4 of 5
8. Coordinate front-office activities of hotels or motels, and resolve problems. importance 4.4 of 5
9. Inspect guest rooms, public areas, and grounds for cleanliness and appearance. importance 4.3 of 5
10. Assign duties to workers, and schedule shifts. importance 4.2 of 5
11. Receive and process advance registration payments, mail letters of confirmation, or return checks when registrations cannot be accepted. importance 4.2 of 5
12. Interview and hire applicants. importance 4.1 of 5
13. Purchase supplies, and arrange for outside services, such as deliveries, laundry, maintenance and repair, and trash collection. importance 4.1 of 5
14. Collect payments and record data pertaining to funds and expenditures. importance 4.1 of 5
15. Develop and implement policies and procedures for the operation of a department or establishment. importance 4.0 of 5
16. Prepare required paperwork pertaining to departmental functions. importance 4.0 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Training and Teaching Others, Getting Information and Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Meet with clients to schedule and plan details of conventions, banquets, receptions and other functions.
• Book tickets for guests for local tours and attractions.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Administration and Management, Personnel and Human Resources, Customer and Personal Service and Mathematics.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Property management system PMS software, Facebook, Microsoft Access. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years of work experience in a related occupation as typical.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a hotel manager.

Most hotel managers surveyed by O*NET (72%) name a bachelor's degree as the education the job requires.

Job title: Hotel Manager
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Hotel Manager to plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that provides lodging and other accommodations.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel policies and services, and resolve occupants' complaints.
- Participate in financial activities, such as the setting of room rates, the establishment of budgets, and the allocation of funds to departments.
- Confer and cooperate with other managers to ensure coordination of hotel activities.
- Greet and register guests.
- Monitor the revenue activity of the hotel or facility.
- Manage and maintain temporary or permanent lodging facilities.
- Observe and monitor staff performance to ensure efficient operations and adherence to facility's policies and procedures.
- Coordinate front-office activities of hotels or motels, and resolve problems.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years in a related occupation as typical; adjust to this role]
- Strength in service orientation, active listening and social perceptiveness
- Working knowledge of English Language and Administration and Management
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $69,250 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $33.29. BLS estimates about 42,620 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Lodging Managers to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,500 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full hotel manager salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real hotel manager posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel policies and services, and…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only hotel manager work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (service orientation and active listening); hotel manager interview questions turns them into practice questions.